Opinion LETTERS Capacity of teacher, not classroom, matters Dear Editor, I have been receiving and enjoying the Pleasanton Weekly since my second summer sojourn in your city. The recent letter from Christina Hicks decrying the increase in school class sizes from 25 to 30 struck a nerve with me (“Larger class sizes worrisome,” Dec. 25, page 8). As a former teacher and a product of a system where 40 students were considered to be a small class, I have observed that it is the capacity of the teacher, not of the classroom, that makes the difference. Also, since teaching is often just a jump-start on the way to another profession, I truly believe one of the most important pre-hiring interview questions should be, “Do you like working with children?” Dorothy Green Allentown, Pa.
Train crossing should be monitored Dear Editor, My family and I are deeply saddened by the life that was lost Feb. 19. I know our neighbors feel the same as well. There are really no words that can address this loss adequately or otherwise. I know the community cares and it is my sincere hope that an avenue is made available to those who wish to help the family if they so desire. I realize this is a very raw time, but safety should never wait. We have crossing guards at the various school crossings and that’s wonderful. Maybe it’s time to consider some type of adult oversight where the train crosses. I think the danger that exists there speaks for itself. Maybe having some information made available that details the train schedule in advance, in the hands of responsible adults, would assist in forming a framework in which to provide additional supervision during key times of the day. I realize this doesn’t address the evening foot traffic but I think some sort of dialog needs to begin. Daniel Ormonde
Officials are wasting taxpayer dollars Dear Editor, This past Tuesday proved to be an interesting day to watch our mayor, Jennifer Hosterman, speak out of “both sides of her mouth.” Speaking at a meeting hosted by the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce at the Pleasanton Hilton Hotel, Mayor Hosterman delivered her “State of the City”
address. In that address she said, “we (the mayor and City Council) are equally bound to a conservative fiscal policy that helps to insulate Pleasanton from the perils of the global economy.” Then on Tuesday evening, Mayor Hosterman and her City Council cronies voted to waste $79,000-$97,500 of taxpayer funds to put the Oak Grove referendum on the June 8 ballot rather than waiting for the Nov. 2 ballot. Hosterman, Jerry Thorne and Cheryl Cook-Kallio said that putting Oak Grove on the November ballot would give Oak Grove opponents more time to prepare their arguments for voting down the measure. So, I guess, they don’t want the citizens of Pleasanton to hear all the pros and cons about Oak Grove before making an informed decision! I also found it interesting that Councilman Thorne told his supporters at his re-election bid launch meeting, “he will continue and even intensify his focus on fiscal restraint...” Yet he joined the developer-friendly threesome to needlessly spend our taxpayer money. All three who supported the June 8 ballot agreement show their true fiscal irresponsibility and continue to turn a deaf ear to their constituents. Edward Janas
Voters already decided on Oak Grove Dear Editor, Why would the Pleasanton City Council vote to spend $79,000 to put the Oak Grove matter back on the ballot? Didn’t the voters just decide that matter? They don’t want homes built on the ridge, they goofed, they should have reversed their position because the voters told them to do so! They’re now mimicking the State Legislature’s practice of creating initiatives for the ballot on matters they are afraid to take responsibility for by their vote. Joe McAdams
Thanks to Torrico, Buchanan Dear Editor, As a supporter of the We the People program, I’d also like to thank State Assemblymembers Torrico and Buchanan, both of which represent parts of Pleasanton, for their continued support of the We the People family. Torrico was the keynote speaker on Wednesday night of the state competition and Buchanan announced their joint sponsorship of ACR 11, a California Civics Day for Teachers. As school funding becomes a greater and greater issue in Pleasanton, I know our voices are being heard in Sacramento. Susan Piekarski
What’s your opinion? Write a Letter to the Editor at Editor@PleasantonWeekly.com or put your opinion on Town Square at www.PleasantonWeekly.com. Letters must be 250 words or less. Page 8ÊUÊFebruary 26, 2010ÊUÊPleasanton Weekly
EDITORIAL
THE OPINION OF THE WEEKLY
Taking a look at Oak Grove
I
nvestors Jennifer Lin and her brother Frederic bought 793 acres of ranchland in Pleasanton’s southeast hills in 1979. They were told and the city’s General Plan at the time confirmed that the property could be developed. So did the 1985, 1996 and the just-approved 2009 General Plans. Because the ranchland had state-imposed restrictions on when it could be taken out of its agriculture designation, the Lins sold 230 acres of their property to Westbrook Homes in 1985, which then built 215 homes in a development called Kottinger Ranch. But in approving the development, the City Council ruled that Westbrook could only build the first 50 homes until Bernal Avenue was completed, which Westbrook couldn’t afford. So the Lins stepped in and completed the Bernal loop between Independence and Kottinger roads, selling property they owned where a future West Las Positas interchange at I-680 was planned to the North Pleasanton Improvement District for $1.5 million to cover the Bernal Avenue construction cost. When the state agricultural restriction ended a few years later, the Lins decided to complete their development plans with a proposal for 98 homes and an 18-hole championship golf course. They would build it on the 562-acre parcel they still owned above the newly developed Kottinger Ranch. The City Council approved the plan but a citizens’ group successfully challenged the action and, in a referendum, reversed the council’s approval in an election that turned on several hundred votes. While the new residents of Kottinger Ranch opposed the expected heavy golf course traffic on Hearst Drive; many others in the city objected to the development plan that called for removing 3,000 of the Lins’ site’s 18,000 trees to clear land for the golf course. Now the Lins are back with a revised plan called Oak Grove that calls for the development of 51 lots for new custom homes at the top of Hearst Drive and a gift to the city of 497 adjoining acres free of charge to the city of Pleasanton. The city has plans to use the land for trails, equestrian paths, a park and accessible public open space. The council again approved the Lins plan, with a development agreement attached that also has the city receiving $1 million in traffic-related funds, a new hillside firefighting vehicle and a requirement that the Lins must pay for building all the trails and other amenities in the parkland before the sixth home lot can be sold. Again, some residents of Kottinger Ranch object to the development as well as others, such as former City Councilwoman Kay Ayala who objects to new homes in the southeast hills. After the council vote in late 2007, Ayala organized a citizens’ coalition called “Save Pleasanton’s Hills” and successfully collected enough signatures to force another referendum on the Lins’ project. After two years of litigation by both parties, the referendum will now be on the June 8 state primary ballot, asking voters to decide if they want to allow or reject the Oak Grove plan. Although the council approved Oak Grove in 2007, the issue goes back to 2004 when the Lins asked again to build 98 homes on their property, but without a golf course. They assumed that because their acreage is still shown in the new General Plan as accommodating up to 98 homes, their plan would win Pleasanton’s approval. They even cut the number to 51 in a compromise with critics and threw in the 497 acres of adjoining land to sweeten the deal. Now it’s up to the voters to make the final call. Between now and then voters should read city Ordinance 1961 and the Oak Grove development agreement that’s attached, available as one document on the city’s Web site. The coming campaign over the Oak Grove measure will be heated; voters owe it to themselves to learn what the Oak Grove plan is all about. N
Code of ethics The Pleasanton Weekly seeks to adhere to the highest level of ethical standards in journalism, including the Code of Ethics adopted Sept. 21, 1996, by the Society of Professional Journalists. To review the text of the Code, please visit our web site at www.PleasantonWeekly.com.
Pleasanton Weekly PRESIDENT Gina Channell-Allen, Ext. 119 PUBLISHER Jeb Bing, Ext. 118 EDITORIAL Editor Jeb Bing, Ext. 118 Managing Editor Janet Pelletier, Ext. 111 Features Editor Emily West, Ext. 121 Contributors Dennis Miller Jerri Pantages Long Joe Ramirez Elyssa Thome ART & PRODUCTION Lead Designer Katrina Cannon, Ext. 130 Designers Lili Cao, Ext. 120 Kristin Herman, Ext. 114 ADVERTISING Advertising Sales Manager Mary Hantos, Ext. 123 Account Executives Paul Crawford, Ext. 113 Karen Klein, Ext. 122 Leslie Mooldyk, Ext. 232 Real Estate Sales Andrea Heggelund, Ext. 110 Ad Services Sandy Lee, Ext. 116 Katrina Cannon, Ext. 130 BUSINESS Business Associate Lisa Oefelein, Ext. 126 Circulation Director Bob Lampkin, Ext. 141 Front Office Coordinator Kathleen Martin, Ext. 0 HOW TO REACH THE WEEKLY Phone: (925) 600-0840 Fax: (925) 600-9559 Editorial e-mail: editor@PleasantonWeekly.com calendar@PleasantonWeekly.com Display Sales e-mail: sales@PleasantonWeekly.com Classifieds Sales e-mail: ads@PleasantonWeekly.com Circulation e-mail: circulation@ PleasantonWeekly.com
The Pleasanton Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566; (925) 600-0840. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rate, USPS 020407. The Pleasanton Weekly is mailed upon request to homes and apartments in Pleasanton. Community support of the Pleasanton Weekly is welcomed and encouraged through memberships at levels of $5, $8 or $10 per month through automatic credit card charges. Print subscriptions for businesses or residents of other communities are $60 per year or $100 for two years. Go to www.PleasantonWeekly.com to sign up and for more information. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pleasanton Weekly, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566. © 2010 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.